Lot essay

This squelette belongs to a series of high quality weight-driven skeleton clocks produced in France at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century. Examples are recorded with the signatures of such eminent clockmakers as Breguet, Lepine and Robin. Although there are variations between them it is entirely possible that all were created in the same workshop. The present clock closely resembles (including its elaborate hands) an example by Robin illustrated in Tardy, French Clocks, Part II, Paris, 1981, p.239. Other examples include a Lepine with skeletonised chapter ring (Klaus Erbrich, Prâzisionspendeluhren, Munich, 1978, p.184; a Lepine with 'Turkish' dial (Norbert Tieger, Horloges Anciennes, Milan, 1990, p.161; two further Lepines (Derek Roberts, Continental and American Skeleton Clocks, Schiffer, 1989, p.63 & 64; a spring-driven Breguet (Roberts, p.124); two examples signed by the retailer Gropengieser of Hamlyn (one from the House of Hanover and sold Sotheby's Amsterdam, 9 October 2005, lot 2274 and the other from the property of a German collector offered Sotheby's Amsterdam 20 May 2008, lot 507); and a clock signed (probably retail) by Diedrich of Einbeck (P. Heuer & K. Maurice, Die Europâische Pendeluhren, Munich, 1988, p.307.

Cataloguing & details

Special Notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 15% on the buyer's premium